2003 Book Publishing Net Sales Rise

Posted on April 9, 2004

Net sales for the entire United States publishing industry are estimated to have increased by 4.6 percent from 2002 to 2003 to a grand total of $23.4 billion, according to figures released by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). Overall, trade sales rose 1.2 percent, with sales of $5.06 billion. Adult trade hardbound lost 2.4 percent ($2.45 billion), while paperbound sales were down 0.6 percent ($1.47 billion). Juvenile hardbound sales were up 28.6 percent ($698 million), however, paperbound sales were down a slight 5.2 percent with sales of $448.6 million.

El-Hi (elementary/high school) sales were up 2.5 percent ($4.29 billion), while higher education sales rose 3.6 percent, with sales of $3.39 billion. Standardized test sales grew by a larger 12.4 percent ($591.9 million).

Sales of professional and scholarly books were up 3.6 percent in 2003, with sales of $3.98 billion. Book clubs and mail order publications (down 9.0 percent, with sales of $1.31 billion) and mass market paperback sales (down 1.7 percent, with sales of $1.22 billion) both lost ground in 2003. Publishing sales of religious books (which includes many self help texts) grew tremendously in 2003 posting a gain of 50.2 percent or $1.26 billion. �Other� book publishing sales were up 12 percent ($2.32 billion) emphasizing the overall growth in publishing sales through this catch all designation.